SAJC MSA1 Revision (Mar 09) Applications of Differentiation

Revision Questions: Applications of Differentiation

1 NJC 95\I\17(a)
A hemispherical bowl is beneath a tap leaking at a constant rate. When the height
h3
of the water is h cm, the volume is π (rh 2 − ) cm 3, r being the radius of the
3
hemisphere. Find the rate at which the water level is rising when it is halfway to
the top, given that r = 6 cm and that the bowl fills in 1 minutes.
2 VJC 00/I/8
A television crew is televising a 100 m sprint event.
xm
S F

10 m

θ
C
The cameraman positions himself 10 m from F, a point on the finishing line. The
point S represents the location of the first athlete to come in. He is running
towards F such that angle SFC = . At time t s, SF = x m and angle FCS = θ .
−
When the athlete is 10 m away from F, he is running at 3π m s 1. Find the rate of
3π
change of θ at this moment. { − } [4]
20
3 NYJC 95\I\9
An open rectangle box made of thin material has a square base, side x cm, and a
capacity of 4000 cm 3. If A cm 2 is the area of the material used to make the
16000
box, show that A = x 2 + and find the value of x which makes the
x
amount of material used a minimum. {x = 20}
4 JJC 98/I/(b)
A point C moves on the circumference of a C
emicircle of radius r in such a way that
0 0 < θ < 90 0 . Prove that the area of
triangle ABC is equal to

r2 A r O B D
[ 2 sin 2θ + sin 4θ ] .
4
Find θ when this area is maximum. [7]
5 AJC 97 P1 Q13(b)
A circular hollow cone of height h cm and
semi-vertical angle 30° stands on horizontal 30º
ground. A smaller upright cone with base
radius x cm just fits into the cone as shown.
(i) Show that the volume, V cm³ of the
smaller cone is given by V = 13 π x 2 (h − 3 x)
.
(ii) Prove that, as x varies, the maximum [7]
4π 3
possible volume of the smaller cone is h
243
SAJC MSA1 Revision (Mar 09) Applications of Differentiation

cm³.
2003AJC/P1/Q10(i),(ii)
2
x2
A curve has equation y = .
3x
(i) Find the coordinates of the stationary points of the curve and determine their
nature. {(0,0) is min pt ; (1.82, 0.449) is max pt} [4]
2
x
(ii) Sketch the graph of y = x . [2]
3
4 2003CJC/P1/Q1
A petrol tanker is damaged in a road accident, and petrol leaks
onto a flat section of a motorway. The leaking petrol begins to
spread in a circle of thickness 0.002 m. Petrol is leaking from the
tanker at a rate of 0.0084 m3s–1.
Find the rate at which the radius of the circle of petrol is
increasing at the instant when the radius of the circle is 3 m,
giving your answer in ms–1 to 2 decimal places. [4]
21 2003SAJC/P1/Q9
Gas is being pumped into a spherical balloon at a constant rate of 15 m3/min.
Calculate
(i) the rate at which the surface area is increasing, at the instant when the radius
is 2 m ; {15 m2/min} [4]
(ii) the time taken for the radius to increase from 2 m to 4 m. {15.6 min} [3]
SAJC MSA1 Revision (Mar 09) Applications of Differentiation

Solutions

6 h3 2
Volume of water V = π (6h − )
3
dV dh
= π (12 h − h 2 )
dt dt
2 3
dV π (6 ) 12
The bowl fills in 60s ⇒ = 3 = π
dt 60 5
When the water level is halfway to the top,
12 dh
π = π (12 (3) − 3 2 )
5 dt
dh 4
=
dt 45
4
The water level is rising at cm per second.
45
8 When x = 10 ,
dx
= −3π
dt
x
tan θ =
10
Differenti ating w.r.t. t ,
dθ 1 dx
sec 2 θ =
dt 10 dt
When x = 10 ,
(draw diagram! )
dθ 3π
=− rad per second
dt 20

9 A = Base +4 × Side
= x 2 + 4 xh
 4000 
= x 2 + 4 x 2 
 x 
16000
= x2 + (shown)
x

To find the value of x that gives the minimum area, set the rate of change of the area,
dA
, to be 0 and solve for x.
dx
d2A
Check at x = 20
dA 16000 dx 2
= 2x −
dx x2 d2A 32000
2
=2+ = 6 > 0 (min. point)
dx x3
dA
At minimum, =0
dx

16000
2x − =0
x2
x 3 = 8000
x = 20
SAJC MSA1 Revision (Mar 09) Applications of Differentiation

10 JJC 98/I/(b)
A point C moves on the circumference of a
semicircle of radius r in such a way that C
0 0 < θ < 90 0 . Prove that the area of
triangle ABC is equal to
r2
[ 2 sin 2θ + sin 4θ ] . 
4 A r O B D
Find θ when this area is maximum.

∠COD = 2 × ∠CAD = 2θ 1
Area = × AB × CB
2
CB 1
= sin ∠COD × ( AO + OB ) × CB
OC =
2
CB = OC sin ∠COD = r sin 2θ 1
= × ( r + r cos 2θ ) × r sin 2θ
2
OB
= cos ∠COD r2
OC = ( 2 sin 2θ + 2 sin 2θ cos 2θ )
OB = OC cos ∠COD = r cos 2θ 4
r2
= ( 2 sin 2θ + cos 4θ ) (shown)
r2 4
A= ( 2 sin 2θ + cos 4θ )
4

In this case, please note that r is not the variable quantity. The variable quantity is only
θ.

dA r 2 d 2A r2
= ( 4 cos 2θ + 4 cos 4θ ) = ( − 8 sin 2θ − 16 sin 4θ )
dθ 4 dθ 2 4

dA r 2
At the maximum, = ( 4 cos 2θ + 4 cos 4θ ) = 0
dθ 4

cos 2θ + cos 4θ = 0
cos 2θ + 2 cos 2 2θ −1 = 0
2 cos 2 2θ + cos 2θ −1 = 0
( 2 cos 2θ −1)( cos 2θ +1) = 0

cos 2θ = 0.5 or cos 2θ = −1 0°<θ<90°

2θ = 60 ° 2θ =180 ° (invalid) 0°<2θ<180°
θ = 30 °

d 2A r2
At θ = 30 ° , = ( − 8 sin 60° − 16 sin 120 °) < 0 (maximum point)
dθ 2 4